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Shinoda Clan
| affiliation = | specialty=Reishi Manipulation |tblColour = Black |textColour = White }} The Shinoda Clan (篠田一族, Shinoda Ichizoku; Literally meaning "Clan of the True Warrior") is a lineage of great promise, potential, and power. Every member born into the clan is gifted with a natural spiritron affinity, allowing them to easily bend, manipulate and control the nature of Reishi, Reiatsu and Reiryoku. Since the clan's inception, they have remained very secluded, choosing to stay away from the ills of the world. Although few in number, each member possesses the strength and fortitude of entire armies, able to easily change the tide of battle for the better or for the worse. Unknown to history, the Shinoda Clan has been instrumental in shaping the fate of the world for the pass one-thousand years. Overview To the world, not much is known about the Shinoda Clan. Choosing to remain secluded atop the summit of Mt. Senjo (戦場, Battlefield) in the 3rd district of Rukongai: Hokutan (北端, North End), most of Soul Society are unaware of their existence. It is believed that their origins are rooted in Quincy lineage. The first Shinodas were a pair of exceptionally powerful Quincy souls who decided to walk a different path from their vengeful brothers and sisters. At the time, the Quincy Empire suffered a major defeat at the hands of Soul Society in the first Shinigami-Quincy Bloodwar. The aforementioned war resulted in the sealing of their Quincy King, Yhwach. Without a ruler, the kingdom was divided with many of them vying for control and leadership. Disillusioned by the bloodshed driven by revenge for the Shinigamis, and the bloodshed created among their own people, the founding Shinodas broke off from the Empire. The Shinoda clan specializes in Reishi Manipulation (霊子操作, Reishi Sosa), furthering the speculation of their Quincy heritage. With little affinity to Kido and a special take on Hakuda and Zanjutsu, the Shinoda clan are a unique group of Shinigami. They have a formal caste-like system in where various members of the clan are not divided by position, but by experience and skill. It begins with the bottom rank of Apprentice, followed respectively by the Guardians, Masters, Sages, and finally the Clan Head. This way of grouping the members makes them equal in terms of position, but significantly identifies members in their power level, in order to assign specific roles to them in times of war or in general clan life. While the notion of being a clan implies the majority of members are in someway related, that is not the case for the Shinoda Clan. Anyone who wanted to join, or needed a home, or desired a family were welcomed to the Shinoda Clan. The driving philosophy behind the clan was that blood is not what determines who is your family, its the bonds you share with them that do. While the clan have important relics and treasures, the greatest treasure to them is eachother. Because of the love they have for eachother, they are fiercely loyal to eachother. History A Brighter Future Shinoda clan history is divided into eras and each era is named after the individual who had the greatest influence. Although much of the clan's history has remained undocumented, an oral history of their past has been passed down from generation to generation. The first chapter of the clan's history is dubbed the Era of Taiyohime. A decade after the sealing of their King, two Quincy souls broke off from the invisible empire. No longer wishing to walk the path of vengeance along the rest of their race, former Sternritter "D" Strahd von Zarovich "The Decay" and former Sternritter "E" Marielle Schrodinger "The Emotion" left the Wandenreich. Finding strength in forgiveness and weakness in revenge, the Quincys forgave the atrocities against their people in order to move on and shape their own destinies. Considered war criminals, the two found refuge on Mr. Senjo. Unknown to them, Mt. Senjo is a historical landmark, being the site of countless battles since the beginning of Soul Society. Clans would fight for this mountain because whoever secured this insurmountable fortress ruled the region. Being the highest mountain in Soul Society, this puts the Quincys in a strategic position. Since they can see everything in the immediate countryside, they can easily prepare themselves if anyone or anything threatens their safety and security. Having to blend in with the residents of Hokutan, Marielle and Strahd discarded their Wandenreich attire for the more formal japanese Kisode and Hakama. For the next decade they lived a life of calm serenity. Dousing the fires of revenge in their heart left them free to live out the rest of their life in peace. During this time, Marielle met her life partner, a wandering shinigami by the name of Ashurai Shinoda. The two of them would eventually have a child named Taiyohime Shinoda. Unknown to Marielle at the time, Ashurai had a teriminal illness and passed away shortly before Taiyohime was born. Having become brothers through a strong bond of friendship, Strahd promised Ashurai that he'll make sure his daughter remains safe. When Taiyohime was born, every time she cried, she siphoned large amounts of Reishi from her surroundings, causing severe damage to the slum-like huts of Hokutan. Fearing word would travel fast and eventually reach the enemy clan controlled surrounding regions, or worse, the Gotei 13, the Quincys retreated back to Mt. Senjo. The major issue was that Taiyohime was a hybrid, perhaps the world's first hybrid. Marielle believed that if the world knew about her, they would hunt her down. For the next two hundred years, Strahd spent much of his time training Taiyohime to become strong enough to protect herself. She was taught how to bend Reishi to her will and how to manipulate her own Reiryoku to bolster her power. While Strahd was strict, Marielle was loving, and together they provided Taiyohime with a caring environment to flourish as an individual. Through these two, Taiyohime grew to become a caring, hope-filled and loving person. These traits echoed and reverberated into how she will eventually run the Shinoda Clan. At the end of her training, the three officially established the Shinoda Clan with Taiyohime as the first Head of the family. Although being a young leader, Strahd and Marielle constantly gave her advice and so she quickly learned the value of leading the people that look up to her. Being a person with a capacity of great love and compassion, Taiyohime brought in people from all places. To her, its not blood that defines family, its the bond you share with them. Because of this, Taiyohime had earned the loyalty of her followers. The members of the Shinoda Clan would rather die than to divulge important information or to betray eachother. This would lead to the second chapter of the Shinoda Clan history. The Era of Kaiser A century after the clan's official establishment (three centuries after the clan's inception), Taiyohime rescued a young Nobunaga Shinoda in a war-torn region of Rukongai. The last several decades has given rise to a large number of battles as clans fight for control of Rukongai and the regions beyond Soul Society. A massive campaign led by the Kusanagi Clan and their allies have made it increasingly difficult for Taiyohime to keep the Shinoda Clan safe from battle. Enter Nikolai Rasputin, a Quincy ally and fanatic follower of Yhwach who, after centuries of wandering after the defeat of the Quincys in the first Bloodwar, found Strahd and Marielle in the unlikeliest of places. The two, having blended in with the people of Rukongai, was called out by Nikolai in a runned down tavern of their home Hokutan. The two brought Nikolai back to their home on Mt. Senjo to explain the situation. Nikolai, who was a fellow quincy ally to the two during their time in the Wandenreich, dubbed the two as traitors to their race. The man hated Shinigamis and was fiercely loyal to the Quincy cause. Strahd who believed the Quincy race was heading to annihilation if it continues to walk the path of vengeance, knew that that Nikolai is incapable of changing his world views. Taiyohime, who was bringing Nobunaga back to be a part of the family, inquired about the situation with Nikolai. She noticed that he was haggard from centuries of non-stop wandering, decided to let Nikolai stay with the Shinoda Clan. Strahd advised Taiyohime the potential dangers of letting this individual stay, and that he is a man capable of great evils and atrocities. Taiyohime, who believed that every person possesses the potential to become a force for good, ultimately decided to let the Quincy stay. Overtime, she feels that staying with their clan can change his heart. As time passed, Nikolai began to embrace the Shinoda Clan way. He set aside his distaste for the Shinigami and began to mingle with the various members of the clan. These baby steps would lead to greater change as he began to actively help with various day to day chores. He even started teaching the members of the clan the ability to manipulate Reishi. With great patience, Nikolai was successful in teaching his first student, Nobunaga Shinoda. The Quincy became the first instructor of what will later be known as the Shinoda Clan's style of Reishi Manipulation. As Taiyohime's responsibilities over her clan increased, she felt her time to choose a successor to her position was drawing nearer. Centuries have passed and a lot has changed. Nikolai, now second Head of the Shinoda Clan, has taken Nobunaga under his wing and has trained him to be a personal apprentice. The clan has grown to a considerable size. Marielle and Strahd has become a teacher of sorts, teaching the members of the Shinoda Clan the art of Reishi Manipulation. Taiyohime have been on diplomatic duties, meeting with various leaders of the major clans of Soul Society to ensure peaceful relations. In her travels, she would bring along with her an infant Saitou Shinoda for training and guidance. While clan wars continue to rage on, the conquest for territories have stopped due to the major decline of the Kusanagi Clan and the strained alliances it has with its former allies. Nikolai kept a good watch over Hokutan to ensure the safety of his people. Strahd was surprised to see the changes in his heart and humored the possibility that he might not be the vengeful quincy comrade he once knew. When word reached Nikolai that the Gotei 13 conducted a genocide of the Quincy people, he quickly reverted to his old beliefs and hatreds. Furious at the death of his Quincy brothers and sisters at the hands of the Shinigami, Nikolai's public personality began to drastically change. As years passed, his cruelty increased. Prone to violent outbursts and acts of brutality, he would punish the weaker members of the clan by having them beaten to death. No longer caring for his subordinates and the family that looked up to him, He began the process of purging the clan in secrecy. Killing off all he deems as weak trash. His instruction sessions with Nobunaga became increasingly more sadistic, Many sessions end with Nobunaga at near death battered and bleeding profusely. Nobunaga, being fiercely loyal to his master, continued to go to Nikolai for more training. Through these training sessions, Nobunaga learned that the feeble will perish, the strong will rule and only the strong can live in the world he will help create. He learned from Nikolai that strength and power gives an individual a distinct evolutionary advantage and if history has taught mankind anything, its that evolution always wins. Finally, He learned that you must be willing to sacrifice everything to gain everything. With that in mind, Nobunaga undergone a life threatening and life changing process that resulted in him aquiring hollowfication. The exact method in what Nikolai has done is unknown but it resulted in Nobunaga attaining powers that was beyond shinigami comprehension. Word got out that Nikolai has been torturing members of the clan and executing others for his own amusement, when confronted by Strahd and Marielle, a battle ensued. While able to go toe-to-toe with Strahd, Nikolai was unable to go toe-to-toe with both him and Marielle. Strahd, angry at himself for thinking Nikolai changed, aimed for the killing blow. Nikolai reminded the two of the Quincy Prophecy and recited the Kaiser Gesang (聖帝頌歌 (カイザー・ゲザング), Kaizā Gezangu; German for "Emperor Song", Japanese for "Praise-Song of the Sacred Emperor"). At that moment, Strahd and Marielle realized that Nikolai will inform their Emperor of Taiyohime's status as an impure Quincy. If Nikolai succeeds, she will die as a result of having her Quincy powers siphoned during the Auswählen (聖別 (アウスヴェーレン), Ausuvēren; German for "Select", Japanese for "Holy Selection"; "Consecration" in the Viz release). Determined to protect Ashurai's legacy, the two pursued Nikolai relentlessly for the next 200 years. Taiyohime, arriving home from her travels with her god-son Saitou, heard vague reports of what has transpired from the various members of the clan. Knowing the clan needed a leader, she reclaimed her seat as Head of the Clan. For the next decade or so, she aimed to undo all the psychological scars the former head of the clan has created. At the same time, she was preparing a successor. It was imperative to her that she go seek out the truth of what happened and to find whether or not her mother and godfather was okay. Taiyohime left shortly appointing a successor. That same day, Nobunaga killed the appointee and seized control of the clan. Changing History Nobunaga was a ruthless leader. He did not tolerate weakness. Only the strong are allowed in his clan and he made sure the weak was killed off swiftly. In order to ensure victory in the prophesized war, Nikolai's plan was to raise a powerful clan of spiritually gifted shinigamis to aid the Wandenreich in the Thousand-Year Bloodwar. Essentially using the Shinoda Clan as pawns to be killed off when the fight the forces of the Gotei 13. Nobunaga was entrusted the task of raising the clan up so that when the time comes Nikolai will return to start the march to Silbern. To accomplish their goals, Nobunaga implemented an iron rule that every child born must be judged by him to see whether they are fit to live in his clan. Babies with imperfections are deemed unfit to live and are left outside, exposed to the harsh elements to perish. Matsunami Shinoda, a child born with the major birth defect of blindness was among the infants who failed Nobunaga's judgement. The man deemed her unfit to live and was to be taken outside to meet her fate. Saitou, the older brother of Matsunami and the current 9th division captain of the Gotei 13 protested and defied his judgement. When threatened with exile, Saitou scoffed and left with Matsunami to Seireitei. By choosing his sister over his entire clan, Saitou changed the course of destiny. As the Thousand-Year Bloodwar draws near, the time for the Sealed Quincy King to regain his power is now. As the Auswählen begins, Strahd and Marielle pursued Nikolai down to the foot of the Sealed King Palace in Silbern. Unable to battle on the Quincy holy ground of his majesty, Nikolai was free to advance to the foot of the Emperor to inform him of Taiyohime's existence. Because of Taiyohime Shinoda's mixed lineage, she is deemed as an impure Quincy. Immediately Marielle begged the Quincy King to spare her and in return she offers her life instead. Before the king could decline, Strahd interjects and offers his life as well. Yhwach, partially under the influence of Marielle's power, agrees and terminates both Quincys absorbing them back to his soul. Nikolai smiles at the victory he has achieved knowing the threat of of their daughter would lead to the death of Marielle and Strahd. Nikolai had plan this the entire time, and now all that is left is to deal with the first Head of the Shinoda Clan. Shortly after Matsunami regained her shinigami powers, after losing it in the events of Matsunami Gaiden, she faced the clan that discarded her at birth. While this confrontation resulted in Matsunami's overwhelming defeat, it also highlighted that she needed to learn the techniques of her clan to compete against its members. Saitou, who was greivously injured from the confrontation, sent Matsunami on a journey to seek Taiyohime's guidance. After much time and frustration, Taiyohime revealed herself to Matsunami. A year before the Thousand-Year Bloodwar, Nikolai returns to Nobunaga to inform that its almost time for the clan to fufill their destiny. Nobunaga informs his master that there is a young Shinoda becoming an increasingly greater obstacle. Matsunami, now an adult, returns to confront Nobunaga. Her actions created a rift in the clan, dividing people loyal to Nobunaga and people on Matsunami's side. Nikolai remains to aid Nobunaga in quashing Matsunami's group. In the final battle of Matsunami Gaiden, Matsunami and her group faced Nobunaga. Nobunaga, who was unshakable as a mountain and as fast as lightning, easily overwhelmed his opposition. However, With sheer willpower everyone continued to get back up to fight. In Yosai, Taiyohime confronts Kaiser and learns the truth about the death of her parents. Blinded by rage, the two began a destructive battle across Yosai. While Nikolai could care less how many lives he endangered, Taiyohime did her best to minimize the collateral damage. Even though Nikolai had the flow of his spiritual pressure disrupted due to Taiyohime's unique Hakuda style she learned from Strahd, he was able to still put up a fight that nearly resulted in her defeat. Taiyohime brought the fight underground to ensure no more lives in danger. It was here that Taiyohime defeated him with the Junjō no Gin tama (純情の銀魂, Pure Heart of the Silver Soul) technique that she learned during her pursuit of the three Quincys. Were it not for her using the blunt side of her scythe blade, Nikolai would have been bifuricated in half. To ensure that no one agan will have to suffer as the result his power, Taiyohime grabbed his face and performed one of the final techniques of the Shinoda clan style, Reimie. This ability reached into a person's Hakusui, the source of all spiritual power and purged Kaiser's soul of his Quincy powers, effectively preventing him from fighting in the Thousand-Year Bloodwar With Nikolai and Nobunaga defeated, Taiyohime banished both of them from the Shinoda clan forever. Matsunami, who was instrumental in changing the destiny of her clan, was offered the position as the 4th Head of the Shinoda Clan, to lead them into the next era. However, she declined citing that the responsbilities did not appeal to her and that her older brother Saitou is far more qualified. While Matsunami played an important role in shaping the clan's history, its through Saitou's actions and sacrifices that paved the foundation for a better and brighter future. Also preferring to have little responsibilities, he declines as well. Its only after a comedic scolding by Taiyohime that he accepts and takes his rightful place as the clan's leader. Clan Structure *'Matriarch/Patriarch' - An unofficial rank in the Shinoda Clan hierarchy. Generally held by individuals recognized as having the highest authority of the clan. Although the Head of the Clan is recognized as the clan's leader, even they will adhere to the wisdom and orders of a Matriarch/Patriarch. *'Head of the Clan' - The leader of the entire clan. A position historically held by the strongest member of the family. *'Sage' - The Sages are comprised of the elite and veteran members of the clan. They are battle-hardened individuals that make up the council of advisers for the head of the clan. During times of war they are the tacticians and coordinators. The Sages possess the greatest wealth of knowledge and experience since they are masters of Reishi Manipulation, having mastered almost every technique. *'Master' - The Masters are comprised of experts and adept individuals in the art of Reishi Manipulation. The make up the majority of clan instructors, teaching and training individuals in the Shinoda arts. To attain the rank of master, a guardian must master the Uragetsu Kaiho technique and must be able to perform it multiple time with precise accuracy in front of the council of sages. *'Guardian' - The Guardians are comprised of experienced individuals in the art of Reishi Manipulation. They make up the majority of the workforce and battle composition for the clan. *'Apprentice' - Apprentices are the most inexperienced members, and as such, make up the majority of the clan. As fledglings, they are not suited to actively take part in battle. As a result they take on the roles of medics and any other tasks that put them in the sidelines away from the battlefield. Clan Relics *'Haori of Reishi Supression' (霊子抑制の羽織, Reishi Hakusei no Haori): Woven from the same material as the Quincy’s , the iconic symbol of the Shinoda Clan is a creation of its founder: Strahd von Zarovich. Red in color, this add-on is usually worn over the standard Shihakushō. This heirloom however is more than a just a clan relic, it is a training tool. The haori operates by repelling reishi, acting as an instrument used to suppress the wearer’s manipulation of Reishi. Those who wear it will find that they themselves are suppressed, more specifically the reishi that comprises their being, which acts as a spiritual weight to hold them down. Once a Shinoda member reaches the rank of Master, they are given the Reishi Hakusei no Haori to prepare them for the next stretch of their clan training. By anchoring their soul down and suppressing their ability to bend Reishi while training, users who take off the haori will find a noticeably significant increase in their power in battle and an even greater ease and proficiency in their ability to command Reishi. *'Shinoda Clan Medallion': Crafted by Marielle Schrodinger, the medallion carries the crest of the Shinoda clan. Due to the clan being founded by former members of the Sternritter, the appearance of the Shinoda Clan medallion is reminiscent of the Bankai-stealing Medallion of the Wandenreich. Metallic in colour and consisting of a steel chain attached to a silver pendant about the size of a person’s palm, the medallion is visual representation of a member’s mastery over the clan’s Uragetsu Kaiho technique. Generally worn by members of master-rank and above, the medallion is also an indicator of a person’s power since Shinoda Clan rank is measured by a person’s mastery of Reishi Manipulation. Power and Abilities The Shinoda clan’s power revolves around Reishi Manipulation, and the skill in this art varies among the different classes. Raw strength does not always determine how well a user can manipulate Reishi. The strength of these abilities scales with an individual’s personal growth. Conquering hardships and emotional upheavals, acknowledging ones weakness and understanding what is important to the individual can help strengthen their ability to understand and manipulate spiritual atoms. Due to the limitless potential of Reishi Manipulation, abilities can evolve to become more powerful and effective giving rise to new abilities. Many members have created abilities unique to them, abilities that suit their style of combat. The clan was founded on the belief that all things have some spiritual matter within them. No matter how minute it may be, by tapping into this mystical force, they can bend it to their will. Understanding that power comes with responsibility, the clan formed a hierarchy that is dependent on an individual’s experience and skill. For safety and responsibility purposes, the more advance techniques are taught at higher ranks to ensure the individual is prepared both mentally and physically. Reidengeki (精神ブリ Spirit Blitz): Taught to all apprentices of the Shinoda clan, this is the most basic form of Reishi Manipulation. Reidengeki is the simply process of manipulating spiritons in the air to influence the direction of the user's target. The most common form of using Reidengeki is simply forcing the spiritons to move at incredibly high speeds, slamming into their intended target that it actually influences the latter's motions, sending them reeling back in the direction of the push. *'Telekinesis': The Reidengeki effectively mimics telekinesis by allowing the user, depending on their skill level, to use the environment as a weapon. Master and Sages can easily shatter large objects, move boulders and bend metal structures with minimal hand gestures and very little mental exertion. If the user is skilled enough, it’s possible for a simple flick of the finger to crush a mountain side. Apprentices however require large thrusting motions of the palm to shift even the smallest objects. At lower ranks, repeated usage of this ability can be quite taxing. It is at higher ranks that this ability no longer has the mental drawback of manipulating objects or entities. However it is worth noting that the heavier and more numerous the objects, the greater amount of concentration and skill are needed to manipulate it. Reihonshitsu (精神的な本質 Spiritual Essence): Taught to all apprentices, this is the clan’s most basic form of healing. Reihonshitsu is the act of manipulating Reishi to block off the flow of blood from a wound previously sustained on the user. While this carries its advantage of preventing blood loss for a good portion of the battle, Reihonshitsu's drawback is that the user must sustain the Reishi block as much as they can. If they grow too fatigued, they lose their control on the energy covering the wound, and it soon disappears, letting the blood flow once more. However, more experienced practitioners of Reihonshitsu can improve upon it to where it can actually heal the wound inflicted on the user completely. *'Evolved Healing': When a Shinoda masters the Reihonshitsu, this technique can evolve into a greater ability. A user with a very intricate understanding of anatomy can effectively manipulate spiritual atoms and piece them together, like a very complicated puzzle, to reconstruct entire limbs lost in combat. This act requires a great amount of concentration and is not recommended to be performed during battle. This evolved form of the Reihonshitsu is most commonly practiced by members of Sage-Rank. *'Accelerated Healing/Regeneration': When a Shinoda masters the Reihonshitsu, this technique can evolve into a greater ability. A user that specializes in combat can adapt this technique to become an active state of regeneration. Rather than targeting a specific wound, like a basic Reihonshitsu, the user will target its entire body. By tapping into their Reiryoku, the sea of spiritual power, they can release steady amounts of spiritual power that courses through their entire being. Fuelled by survival instinct, the body’s cell division accelerates effectively repairing wounds inflicted during combat. How long a Shinoda can maintain this state of regeneration depends on the user as it will eventually consume all their Reiryoku. Should this occur, the user will be rendered unable to continue fighting. This evolved form of the Reihonshitsu is most commonly taught to members of Master-Rank. *'Longevity': A Shinoda that achieves complete Reishi Dominance can actively replace aging cells with new cells through the manipulation of their body at the subatomic level. This process results in biological immortality, allowing the user to remain young in its prime forever. This evolved form of the Reihonshitsu is completely theoretical as no Shinoda has accomplished this feat. Reiketsugou (霊結合 Spiritual Bind): Taught to all apprentices, this is the clan’s primary form of ensnaring the enemy. This is a technique where the user compresses surrounding spiritons into thick ropes used to snare and trap their targets. This form of Reishi manipulation is mostly used as a form of trap, acting as a sensory device by Clansmen, and/or capable of tripping a foe and exposing them to other allies. *'Reishi Wires': When a Shinoda masters the Reibaindo, this technique can evolve into a greater ability. When used by members of guardian rank, they are capable of compressing the Reishi around them into small, nigh visible wires. The effectiveness of this ability dramatically increases as only the most sharpened of eyesight can find them. This allows the user to feel the vibrations around them and those that come into contact with the wires, acting as an extension of the users’ senses. Additionally, due to the sturdiness of the wires given its density, this technique can even be used as weapons to cut apart enemies with frightening levels of precision. *'Puppetry': Clansman unable to completely ensnare their enemy with this technique can instead target major limbs. Doing so allows the user to manipulate the movements of the enemy to a certain degree. This tactic is generally used by the Masters of the clan. Reihōkai (的な崩壊 Spiritual Collapse): By focusing Reishi around their target to strengthen and bolster, experienced Shinoda Clan members can force said Reishi to converge upon the selected opponent. Doing so results in a crushing sensation that can force the body of the opponent to literally cripple and eventually implode from the sheer pressure put upon them. Reishōheki (的な障壁 Spiritual Barrier): A very basic, and yet highly effective defensive technique used by the Shinoda Clan, Reishoheki involves condensing large quantities of spiritons into a space in front of the user and, as its name implies, creating a powerful barrier to shield them from oncoming attacks. This technique is extremely useful, as it is incredibly hard to breach with force alone. However,those who have trained and become more experienced with Reishoheki can enhance its ability to where the shield can actually surround them entirely, forming a dome of Reishi that provides augmented levels of defense and can only be penetrated by the most powerful of attacks Uragetsu Kaihō (裏月大砲 Reverse Moon, Release Cannon): This is the Shinoda clan version of the Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer). Considered to be the clans’ primary form of offense, learning it is a rite of passage for guardians to become masters. Gathering Reishi from the environment and all nearby sources, siphoning the reiatsu of nearby enemies and allies, and infusing the accumulated power with one’s own reiryoku, the user unleashes the combined power in the form of a massive torrential wave. Depending on the user, the resulting explosion can cause large scale destruction. This power can be further amplified by the emotional state of the user. *'Enhanced Uragetsu Kaihō': With centuries of further training, members can exponentially enhance the lethality of the Uragetsu Kaiho. Upon impact, the explosion instantaneously sears flesh to the bone and reduces all structures caught in the blast to nothingness, making this technique extremely dangerous to block. This ability can even pose life threatening risks to the user as being close to the blast radius will cause third degree burns. *'Second Form' (二形態, Nii Keitai): With further training and mastery, the Uragetsu Kaihō can become an even deadlier attack. Upon impact, rather than dissipating, the blast creates and expands into a colossal mass of swirling spiritual energy. This attack will destroy anything in its path as it continues along its trajectory. How long this lasts varies among individuals but usually dies down after several seconds. This form is usually achieved by members of Sage-rank *'Final Form' (最終形態, Saishu Keitai): A form of the Uragetsu Kaihō only very few powerful users can achieve. If the user draws in and puts forth enough spiritual energy from all necessary sources, they can release a blast so powerful that the spiralling mass of spiritual energy remains on its point of impact. This mass will draw in everything, crushing all objects and beings with an overwhelming force akin to a black hole. How long this lasts varies among individuals but will usually last several minutes as the twister acts as a vacuum, drawing in enough reishi fast enough to maintain its structure. It is advised that this form be used only in the direst of circumstances as it can cause large scale destruction to the degree that it changes entire landscapes. Uragetsu Fuken (裏月伏せる剣, Reverse Moon Coated Blade): Members can coat their blade with the Uragetsu Kaihō to increase its range and destructive power. To catch an opponent off guard, the user may release the spiritual energy at close proximity of the opponent, usually resulting in both combatants caught in the explosion. *'Enhanced Uragetsu Fuken': Experienced members can infuse their zanpakutō with the enhanced Uragetsu Kaihō. Since an enhanced Uragetsu Kaihō instantaneously eradicates the flesh of anyone it comes in contact with, this ability becomes a blade of impending death if it connects with the opponent. Should all else fails, the user may release the accumulated power at point-blank range of the opponent to catch both fighters in the explosion. This tactic usually results in the death of the user as it is meant as a last resort. Reishingai (霊侵害, Spiritual Breach): When a spiritual being gains complete mastery over the manipulation of Reishi and Reiatsu, they can utilize the Reishingai to its fullest extent. By surging reiatsu through the crack, fault lines or depression of an object, the Reishingai can force apart the atoms that comprise an object's structure. As a result, this technique can shatter apart objects that are thought to be indestructible. When used on a spiritual being, the invading reiatsu detonates the body from the inside out, causing crack lines to spread as the body breaks apart. The point in which the user focuses their reiatsu is referred to as the Breaking Point (爆砕点穴, Bakusai Tenketsu). Due to the sheer amount of concentration and mastery required, the Reishingai is generally used at arm length of the opponent. This technique is only taught to a select few members deemed worthy by the head of the clan, generally those of Sage rank. Reikyūryū (的な急流 Spiritual Torrent) Usable only by Sages and the Clan Head, this mighty technique involves gathering an incredible amount of spiritual energy from the user's surroundings, and then releasing all of it in the form of a massive dome that is capable of both shielding the user and inflicting consistent damage to their opponents. The Reishi used in this technique swirls around it's user like a cyclone, or a hurricane, simulating the effect of a large storm. Reimie (霊見栄 Spiritual Vanity) Considered being one of the ultimate techniques used by the Shinoda Clan, and known only to the Clan Head, Reimie is the final testament of an individual's mastery over the Shinoda art of Reishi manipulation. Reimie is the act of piercing the Hakusui of a Soul Reaper's body, and completely dispelling their spiritual energy from them, transforming the Soul Reaper into an ordinary Soul with no trace of their previous powers left. This power is extremely dangerous, and in many cases, the targets aren't capable of withstanding the trauma of having their energies ripped away from them. The limitation to this ability is that it can only be done at close range with little resistance, usually after the opponent is defeated. The user must place one hand on the forehead of the victim placing a finger on a pressure point to numb their entire being. With the other arm, the user pierces the victim’s chest and reaches into their Hakusui to perform the ability. Reisentō (的な尖塔 Spiritual Spire): Reisento is the most powerful technique possessed by the Shinoda Clan. Similar to Reikyūryū, it is usable only to the Sages and to the Clan. The ability is initiated when the user gathers an immense quantity of Spiritual Energy into a single area, specifically under their target. When it is complete, the user unleashes the Reishi into a massive pillar of pure energy, soaring skywards and completely destroying whatever is caught in its maw. Reisento, being the most powerful attack possessed by the Clan, requires a great amount of focus, and even then, it is very arduous to successfully conjure if the user breaks focus Family Members († = confirmed death)